Swagger
by FidgetGlitterBlossom
Summary: When James asks Sofia for a special potion, she quickly sets off to make it. What will happen when someone it wasn't intended for drinks it instead? A not quite one-shot that's rated M for some wicked aged-up Cedfia later on.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:** This was meant to be a one-shot, but it's writing itself and quickly surpassed my self-imposed 1,000 word minimum so I guess it will be at least 2 chapters. The idea came to me yesterday and has been throwing a tantrum in my brain, demanding to be written ever since. My focus is still on my main story, this is just a fun little side thing with some silly modern day references, potion hijinks, and some (hopefully steamy) Cedfia.

As always, I own none of the characters. Blah, blah, blah.

* * *

Sofia knocked on the door to Cedric's tower, half expecting her long time friend to still be fast asleep despite it being after breakfast time. She was pleasantly surprised to hear stirring within. Soon, the door opened before her, the sorcerer peering down at her face. She was petite for an adult, and Cedric still towered over her by a full head.

"What do you need, Princess Sofia?" He asked, his voice still holding a tinge of grogginess. He must not have been up long. She returned his gaze, dutifully ignoring the whispers in the back of her mind about how handsome her best friend was. Those deep brown eyes made her knees feel weak every time he turned them in her direction.

"Mr Ceedric, I come up here just to visit often, yet you always assume I'm asking a favor." She chided him playfully, grinning at him. A corner of his mouth turned up, as close to a smile as he would give in most instances.

"That's because the question never fails to get a rise of protest out of you, Princess." He confided to the young woman. She shook her head and skirted past him into the workshop. It was her first visit in a few days, and the place was badly in need of tidying.

"May I borrow your equipment and a few supplies?" She asked him, making a mental list of things she could do to be helpful while she was there. When she turned back to Cedric for a response, he raised an eyebrow at her, the small one-sided grin still gracing his features. _The way he smiles suits him well. It's actually quite charming._ Sofia managed to herself before she could shoo that train of thought away.

"So you do need something, after all?" He sounded amused, and it occurred to her that he was in a rather good mood today.

"I didn't say I never needed something, just that I often don't." She pointed out. Without waiting for an answer, she walked over to his work table and began setting up some things she would need, Cedric watching thoughtfully as she moved about the room effortlessly. He would never admit it to the princess, but he rather enjoying the way she flitted effortlessly about his tower as if she were completely at home. He found it strangely comforting to watch her gathering supplies or cleaning up a mess, never even needing to pause and think about where things belonged.

"My tower is your tower." He shrugged, raising his hands in mock surrender. She walked to the cabinet he kept his herbs in and began pulling bottles out.

"What exactly are you working on, today?" It finally occurred to him to inquire. She paused and glanced back at him, hand still raised to grab the next item.

"James asked me for a potion." She tried to keep her answer simple, after a beat she returned to collecting what she needed, hoping the sorcerer wouldn't press for details, but knowing him well enough to be sure that he would. Much to her surprise, he simply shrugged, crossing the room behind her to grab his robe from the chair.

"You didn't ask why I was awake at this hour." He pointed out, pulling the robe on over his tunic and trousers.

"I assumed you would tell me it was none of my business." She teased, walking her collection over to the table.

"You guessed correctly. But I'm going out. I'll be gone all day. You won't be needing help with this concoction, will you?" Something in his voice gave her the impression that he wanted her to say that yes, she needed him here. The notion struck her that he wanted to use her as an excuse to avoid his destination, and that told her exactly where he was headed.

"No, but you will give your father my regards, won't you?" Cedric stopped short in the middle of lacing his left boot.

"Princess, someday you must teach me how to read minds. I imagine it comes in handy." He stated, shaking his head at the girl in disbelief. She grinned at him, crossing the room to fetch his mortar and pestle off the shelf he kept it on.

"I can only read your mind, and there's nothing magical about it. I just know you too well." She informed her companion. Cedric suppressed a shudder at the thought of the princess knowing his innermost thoughts. No, she didn't know everything. She didn't know what he intended to do with her amulet as a child, or the things he longed to do to her now that she was an adult. _Thank the gods for that._ He added.

Cedric began to look about for his other boot, when she walked over and picked it up from the pile of items it was laying in. She brought it over and held it out to him before he even realized she had it. He took the boot from her with an appreciative sound and slid his foot into it.

"I'd take you with me, you know. But this visit is of a private nature." He felt he owed her this explanation, as he almost always brought her along when he visited his family. He hated to think of her locked away in the tower all day feeling slighted at being left behind this time.

"I thought it might be." She nodded absently at him, standing back at the work table fully engrossed in grinding herbs, a task she found rather meditative. Cedric took the opportunity to appreciate her silhouette.

He often liked to just take her in, admiring every part of the princess, enjoying these rare moments where she stood perfectly still, concentration plastered on her alabaster face. She hadn't grown very tall as she reached adulthood, but he thought it fit her. Small but formidable, much the way he always knew her to be. She was absolutely stunning. Cedric spent too much of his alone time trying to figure out which of her features he liked best, her blazing blue eyes, her long chestnut ringlets, or her flawless pale skin. She looked to him suddenly and he turned away, trying his best to pretend he wasn't staring.

"You're not using a book?" He asked, finally realizing she was mixing the ingredients without anything to guide her. She shook her head slightly.

Sofia was adept at potion making in a way that Cedric both admired and envied. He always needed to use a recipe, and even then the results weren't guaranteed. She took to making her own recipes on the spot a few years ago, and now rarely followed anything but her own intuition. It shouldn't really surpise him to see her improvising anymore, but it always did.

"You're sure you won't need my help?" He was stalling, and Sofia knew it. He was standing behind her, now, looking over her shoulder at the assortment of ingredients, trying to puzzle out how she could turn them into a working potion using only her wits.

"Go. Whatever this private matter is, I'm sure Goodwyn is impatient to discuss it." She told him. When she realized how close their faces were, she braved a quick peck on his cheek. Cedric was taken aback.

"Princess, we discussed that." He scolded, doing his best to look stern instead of intensely pleased by her show of affection. She waved her hand dismissively.

"I know, 'It isn't proper', so on and so forth. I was merely saying goodbye, Mr Ceedric. No one's going to see us in here, so what's the harm in being friendly?" She knew the entire lecture about the impropriety of being physically affectionate with her dear friend by heart. In fact, she heard it nearly a thousand times since her thirteenth birthday. Cedric opened his mouth to make a retort, but none came to mind.

"Goodbye, Sofia. I'll be back as soon as I can." He said before leaving her alone to work.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** So much for a one-shot. I'm well into the fourth chapter of this story already. This flashback was supposed to be just a quick bit of the chapter, but before I knew it I was well past 1,000 words. Go figure. Good thing I'm so far ahead on updates for my other story. I still plan to keep this short, but we'll see how it goes.

* * *

Sofia's thirteenth birthday was a grand event. Her parents threw an enormous ball, and her mentor, Cedric, had a hand in everything, going above and beyond in making sure that the celebration was befitting such a momentous occasion in a young girl's life.

Despite the festivities planned for the evening, Sofia was sitting in his workshop having a cup of tea with him, instead of in her room letting Violet dress her in the mounds of fabric she would be wearing to the party. She swung her legs excitedly in her chair as she gushed about the ball to Cedric, who was too busy going over a last minute mental checklist to pay her much mind. Suddenly, the color drained from his face as he realized he overlooked the most important detail of the night.

"What do you want for your birthday, little one?" The sorcerer asked Sofia, as he did every year. Normally she told him to surprise her with a magic trick, and he was expecting her to do the same now. Instead, she set her teacup down on the table gently and stood, timidly approaching her friend as though he might bite at any second. When she fully closed the distance, she leaned down to look him directly in the eyes. Cedric didn't know why, but he was feeling very unnerved by the young girl's actions. He watched her suck in a deep breath before she spoke.

"I'd like... a kiss." She answered, trying to keep her voice from shaking. Cedric examined her, mouth agape and eyes widened. After a moment he cleared his throat and spoke.

"Yes, well, I'm sure there will be plenty of young princes in attendance who would be happy to oblige you. Though you really should wait until you have someone specific in mind." He replied, not fully grasping the meaning of her words. She sighed slightly and shook her head.

"I do have someone in mind. I want you to kiss me, Mr Ceedric." She informed the man, doing her best to hide what a jumble of raw nerves she was at the moment. Cedric tried to deny her, but he couldn't think of anything to say. Instead, he sat there in a total state of disbelief.

"You're my best friend. That means far more to me than anything the princes I'll see tonight could ever hope to." She continued. She waited a moment, and when it was clear that he still wasn't going to speak, she pouted at him.

"Please, Mr Ceedric. Just a small one." She stared at him intently. She knew full well he was a sucker for both pouting and pleading, and she was sure that she'd won, now. The groan he gave confirmed his surrender, and she positively beamed at him.

"Just a small one. On the cheek." Cedric bargained, mentally pleading with her not to make a counter offer. _This girl knows all my weak spots._ He begrudged to himself. How did he let her get so adept at manipulating him? She nodded her acceptance, and turned her head to present her cheek to him. He moved in slowly, every intention of giving her the tiniest peck possible.

Just as his lips were about to touch her fair skin, she spun her head to meet them with her own, quickly reaching up to the back of his head and tangling her fingers into his hair to pull him into the kiss.

Cedric cursed himself for being duped, and pulled away as swiftly as he could. He watched as a smile and a blush blossomed across the young girls face simultaneously. With everything the man had in him, he forced himself not to think about how the kiss had felt. Her smile faltered when she saw the darkness clouding his face. He never looked at her like that, and she suddenly found herself feeling very frightened. She scrambled to her feet and backed away a little.

"I-I..." She began to stutter out, but she didn't know how to finish.

"You need to leave. Now." Cedric commanded, trying his best to keep his tone level. Sofia stood in absolute shock, her legs refusing to move.

"Get out!" Cedric demanded, not bothering to control his volume this time. Sofia fled the tower, not even stopping to close the door behind her. She ran through the palace until she reached her room, rushing right past a very confused Violet. The maid tried to follow her back to her quarters, but Sofia pointed her wand at the door.

" **Obfirmo**!" She recited, and the door locked tight. Sofia flopped onto her bed and sobbed for what felt like ages, Violet pounding on the door. When she finally calmed, she walked over to the mirror and fixed herself up as best she could before unlocking the door. Her maid was still desperately trying to open it, and practically tumbled into the room when the barrier finally gave way.

"Princess Sofia, are you alright?" Violent inquired, her voice full of concern. The princess merely nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Her maid gave her a dubious look, but set about gathering the items Sofia would need to change into for her party. After she had everything ready, she began to dress the littlest princess, worrying about the girl's unusual silence. As Violet laced her corset, Sofia finally found her voice.

"Violet, I've done something wicked, and now Mr Ceedric is terribly cross with me." She confided quietly.

"Would you like to tell me what you did?" Violet inquired. Sofia shook her head, staring down at her hands in shame, and Violet sighed slightly.

"Princess Sofia, I can hardly imagine you doing anything so bad that he wouldn't forgive you. Besides, he doesn't have it in him to stay angry at you for very long." She reassured her charge. It was an open secret in the palace that Sofia was Cedric's weakness, the one person he had any interest in being more than mere acquaintances with. He was a quiet, guarded man, but anyone who had worked with the royals before Roland had married Miranda could tell there was a drastic change in him since Sofia came to live in the palace.

"I hope you're right." The princess replied, her voice small and strained.

Once she was dressed, she was hurried off to the ball, scolded slightly for being late to her own party. The decorations were breathtaking, the ballroom was adorned in purple flowers, and a huge buffet lined the far wall.

All of her friends from school were there. Sofia scanned the crowd, looking for the only face she wanted to see at the moment. He wasn't there. James was the first to ask her to dance, and she accepted. She danced with her brother so many times over the years that she could do it in her sleep, so it seemed like a safe way to maintain normalcy while she was such a mess inside.

When their dance ended, Hugo asked for the next one, and she accepted. He wrapped his arm around her waist and they began to waltz. Just as he was pulling her closer, preparing to whisper something into her ear, Cedric appeared in the doorway.

"Excuse me, I have to go. Can we continue later?" She asked, and before he could answer, she was hurrying across the ballroom towards her best friend. Cedric stiffened visibly as she approached, and she felt terrible.

"Mr Ceedric, I am so sorry about what I did. Can you forgive me?" She asked sincerely. Cedric paled, looking around them worriedly, not wanting her words to be overheard. When he was certain no one was paying attention to them, he gestured for her to follow him. They walked out into an empty hallway and he continued moving, putting some distance between them and the party before he spoke.

"Princess Sofia, you have to understand something. You're not a little girl anymore, and it simply won't do to go around kissing grown men. Someone could misinterpret your intentions. Worse, you could be taken advantage of." He lectured the young princess, who was staring down at her shoes, willing herself not to cry again.

"It won't happen again." She mumbled contritely. Cedric sighed and ran a hand through his white bangs. He didn't wish to make her feel bad, only to have her understand why she shouldn't do such things.

"I'm not angry with you. But I do think it best if you aren't so physically affectionate anymore. You've gotten far too old for that sort of thing, and I should have asked you to stop before now, but it wasn't such an issue until..." He didn't finish before Sofia nodded and ran back to the ballroom. Pinching the bridge of his nose and groaning in frustration, Cedric followed after her. He would normally retreat to his tower and leave her alone for a while, but his presence was expected at the celebration.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note:** This is probably the last chapter before I switch to weekly updates for this story. The first 3 focused more on Sofia, and the next few will be more Cedric, so I wanted to get this one up with the others. Story notes at the bottom of this one. Remember when this was a one-shot? I have most of chapter 6 written up already. :P

* * *

The princess stood over Cedric's heavy cast iron cauldron, cautiously adding ingredients in and giving the brew an occasional stir. The memories of her first day as a teenager filled her with mixed emotions. She was elated that Cedric had been her first kiss, just as she'd been hoping he would be since she was ten years old, but she could still feel the fear from his reaction, the shame of having tricked him, and the rejection of his lecture at her party.

 _That's also the year he conjured those spectacular fireworks._ She recalled, throwing a bit of cedarwood into the potion. The display had been amazing, purple and silver streaking through the sky overhead, as all the guests oohed and aahed behind her.

Sofia watched in fascination, and when it was over and she went to thank her friend, taking care not to wrap her arms around him in a great hug, which she desperately wanted to do, he was back to his normal self. Everything he'd needed to say to her had been said, so as far as he was concerned the matter was settled.

Sofia held a slice of lime over the cauldron and gave it a slight squeeze, carefully counting out 10 drops. She shook her head at the potion she was concocting for her brother. He had requested a potion called Swagger. It was a mix of old spices and citrus, and was meant to help him catch the eyes of a certain princess, though he'd blanched when she pressed him to tell her which princess that was.

Swagger was supposed to impress girls with a masculine scent, and scores of confidence. It also lowered the drinker's inhibitions, making it easier for them to do something they wanted to, but would normally have trouble mustering up the nerve for.

She had hesitated at first, not wanting to dabble in anything that might alter her brother or his mystery princess's free will, but after spending a day researching, she understood that the potion wouldn't cause James to do anything that he didn't secretly wish to do, and would have no more an effect on the princess than run of the mill pheromones would.

Once her concerns were eased, she had agreed to make the brew for him, deciding to make a double batch in case his first attempt at wooing his intended went awry for whatever reason. He could simply drink the other half and give it another shot, no harm done _. I'll have to be sure to warn him against drinking it all at once, or he'll have no inhibitions at all._ She reminded herself, imagining what a fiasco that could cause.

Finished stirring in all of her ingredients, she left the cauldron to simmer and went about her business, intent on putting a large dent in the mess Cedric called a workshop. She was about halfway through her mission when a note appeared on the work table with a poof just loud enough to grab her attention.

She rested the broom she was holding against the spice cabinet and brushed off her hands, then made her way over to read the letter she knew would be from her mentor.

"Sorry, Princess, but I will be here longer than I intended. I hope you haven't blown up my tower, yet. I have the most intense headache, and would appreciate it if you might have a remedy waiting when I come home."

She rolled her eyes at his note, he knew full well that she was capable of making a simple potion, but he still couldn't resist teasing her now and again. _Honestly, I haven't had an experiment explode in at least two years._ She thought, shaking her head at his letter.

She stroked the scrawled letters thoughtfully before setting the message down and going to collect the spare cauldron Cedric kept for times when they were both working on potions. Sofia lifted it and brought it back to the work table, thankful that it was smaller than the one that he left out all of the time.

With Cedric absent, the workshop was strangely silent, and Sofia found herself missing the sounds of papers rustling, the occasional magical euphemism being muttered, the conversations that came so easily between the two old friends. To fill the void, she began to hum quietly to herself as she whipped up the cure to Cedric's migraine, no doubt caused by the stress of discussing important matters with his father. She stopped once, to pour the blood red Swagger potion into a bottle and place the stopper in it, moving the finished brew to Cedric's counter before forgetting all about it and returning to the bubbling pink potion that was nearing completion in the second pot. She gave it a strong stir and left it to finish, retrieving the broom and beginning to sweep the workshop. The rustle of feathers drew her attention to the window, where she found Wormwood perching, his head tilted to study the princess with one eye.

"Hello, Wormwood." She greeted the contrary bird warmly, sweeping days worth of dust and magical debris into a small pile in the center of the room.

"Where's Cedric?" The raven inquired, not bothering to return her greeting.

"He's gone to talk to Goodwyn about a matter that seemed important." Sofia informed him, bending to collect the grey mound so she could discard it.

"Why are you here when he's out?" The jet black bird asked her suspiciously. Her tasks completed, Sofia crossed the room and gently stroked the feathers on Wormwood's chest. For all his posturing, the bird loved when she did this, and he softened a bit, leaning into her fingers. Sofia smiled gently at him.

"Don't worry, I have permission. I'm making Cedric a headache cure. He says he'll need it when he returns." She explained. As if on cue, the cauldron began to bubble loudly, and Sofia moved to take it off the heat, Wormwood nearly toppling forward in an attempt to maintain the contact a moment longer. He straightened himself and began to groom his feathers, trying to uphold his air of indifference to the princess.

Once Sofia had bottled the bright pink potion, she set it onto the counter next to the other. Her work completed, she selected a heavy, intriguing tome from one of Cedric's bookshelves, and made her way into the adjoining room. She took her wand out of the hidden pocket of her gown, a feature she insisted all of her clothing included so she'd always have the tool handy.

" **Flammo.** " She stated, waving the wand at Cedric's fireplace, and flames erupted, the dull roar of the fire and sudden warmth of the room comforting Sofia. She plopped down into Cedric's dark purple upholstered chair and began to immerse herself in the book.

* * *

 **Story notes** : Swagger is a product line by Old Spice that comes in darkish red packages. Hence a potion called Swagger made from old spices. The details of the potion are based on the description of the product line. That plus the lemon scene in chapter 6 were the inspiration for this story to begin with. It just took me 3,000+ words to get here.

Also, since this was supposed to be a quick and lazy story, all the spells so far have just been Latin words, instead of trying to come up with clever dog Latin phrases for things. *shrug*


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** I actually wrote the chapter after this first, but it made references to Cedric's cottage trip. I couldn't find a good way to explain them without breaking up the chapter with flashbacks, and I hate doing that, so I just went back and wrote this out instead. Sorry for leaving you guys hanging on the potipn, but I promise, this breakaway chapter was the best way to continue. Love all the feedback so far, thank you all so much!

* * *

The quaint cottage in the heart of Mystic Meadows had come to be a place Cedric actually enjoyed visiting. Sofia always came with him, chatting his ear off excitedly for the entire coach ride there. She would challenge him to a race for his parent's front door, though she knew full well he would simply stroll languidly behind her as she ran. When his mother would answer, Sofia would bubble over while greeting the elder sorceress, practically knocking Winifred backwards into the house with an overly enthusiastic hug. He would object to Sofia's actions only to hear his mother tell him 'Oh, hush.', smiling fondly at the princess while escorting the pair inside. This was exactly how the beginning of every visit went for the last several years.

This routine made the silence of his current coach ride all the more striking, and he wondered to himself how and when Sofia had entrenched herself so completely into almost every aspect of his life. Her absence felt almost as jarring as he'd imagine going about without a limb might. He gave a heavy sigh and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to push the girl out of his mind.

When the coach arrived, there was no challenge issued, no blur of purple gown and bouncing chestnut curls rushing past, no Winifred at the door ready for a warm embrace. Instead, Cedric rapped on the door in a mix of annoyance and trepidation, and Goodwyn the Great answered him gruffly.

"Well, don't just stand there like a ninny. Come in, Cedric." His gravely voice demanded, and Cedric stiffened, not at all looking forward to what would be a very long day.

Goodwyn led him through the front of the house and into his study, where Cordelia was already seated, sipping a steaming cup of undoctored tea. She glanced up at him from behind her drink, daggers in her eyes. He did his best to ignore her gaze. His father motioned to the other chair before turning to shut the door behind him, and Cedric obediently sat down. Goodwyn crossed the room and lowered himself into the wing chair that was pulled up to his desk. He observed his children, first Cedric, then Cordelia, who shot him a sweet-as-sugar grin, placing her tea cup back onto its saucer. The old sorcerer cleared his throat, ready to begin.

"I'm sure you both know why I summoned you. To be honest, this should have been taken care of ages ago." He began, gesturing to a small stack of documents neatly arranged on his desk. Cordelia sat forward to interject, feining objection at the topic, even though she clearly was eager to begin.

"Father, we needn't worry about this yet, if you don't want to. It'll be a long time before this becomes a pressing concern." Her voice was laced with artificial saccharin, and Cedric couldn't help but roll his eyes at her. Goodwyn gave his only son a warning stare before continuing.

"No, this matter must be handled, and I'll feel much better without it weighing on me." He answered his daughter, seemingly oblivious to the farce of her words.

Cedric narrowed his eyes, staring at the side of Cordelia's head, letting himself wallow in his bitterness towards her. She had always played their father, quite adept at seeming the perfect daughter, all of it a total fraud. He, on the other hand, grew up desperately wanting his father's approval, but wanted it to be for who he was, not someone he was pretending to be. In return, Goodwyn doted on his precious daughter, and neglected his son, when he wasn't outright berating him, that was.

At some nearly forgotten point in his life, when he was a small boy, Cedric had longed for a connection with his sister, like he imagined other siblings had. But she only ever treated him as competition for what she really had her eyes on, the family wand, the title of royal sorceress, all the accolades that came with both. Somehow, despite being Goodwyn's obvious favorite, Cordelia had received none of these things, which irked her to no end, and only deepened the rift between them.

And then she had made Calista, accidentally giving Cedric everything he'd once wanted from his sister but never received. His niece worshipped the very ground he walked on, behaving, even well into her teenaged years, as if she believed that the day began and ended simply because Cedric willed it to do so. Cedric often found himself wishing he had grown up with Calista as his sibling instead of her mother, but he certainly didn't mind having her as his niece instead. When she was a small child, he had brushed her affection off as mere infantile curiosity, a meaningless nuisance. But as she grew, and her amiable treatment of him never wavered, he recognized and appreciated it for the true familial connection that it was.

"Cedric, do pay attention. This is a serious discussion and I expect you to treat it as such." Goodwyn scolded his grown son the way one might a young child, pulling him from his thoughts. He briefly wondered why his father had even dragged him here. Obviously, everything would go to his mother, then Cordelia. Frankly, Cedric didn't care. He had the family wand and his tower, and that was more than enough for him. Nevertheless, he did as he was told and listened dutifully as his father ticked off a list of items that, as expected, would not be passed to his son.

Hours went by, Cordelia interjecting to squeeze her father for just a little bit more on every single point. They had taken a short break for lunch, Cedric taking the opportunity to pop off a potion request to Sofia, his head trying in earnest to burst free of his skull. Then, more drudgery, more of his sister's manipulation, and more of his precious time wasted on a topic that was utterly meaningless to him.

"The cottage will go to Cedric, with the condition that his mother be allowed to stay until the end of her days." Both siblings gave an audible gasp and stared in shock at Goodwyn.

"But father, that doesn't make any sense. Cedric already has his tower, and-" Cordelia tried to bargain with the elder sorcerer, but Goodwyn held up his hand to silence her.

"Cedric will need the cottage to raise my grandson, which I hope will be forth coming, and before my time here ends. I'll not see him spend his childhood in a dusty, drafty, old tower." Goodwyn explained. Cordelia scoffed, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes exaggeratedly. Cedric balked, indignation coursing through him.

"And where, do you suppose, is this grandson going to come from? Perhaps you expect me to conjure one up from thin air?" Cedric asked, making no attempt to mask his annoyance at the way his father spoke about him having a child as if it was set in stone.

"You are the royal sorcerer, a title that I will remind you comes with some weight. You are also the son of Goodwyn the Great, and have my reputation in your favor. Perhaps if you stopped squandering all of your time and opportunity locked up in a tower playing house with that- that _child_ , you would realize that scores of woman would be open to a declaration of intention from someone of your station!" Goodwyn was clearly losing his temper, something that normally would make Cedric back down. Instead, he found himself furious at the way his father had not only spoken down to him, but also how he referred to Sofia and the cherished time they spent together.

"Sofia is not a child, and I have no interest in courting women!" He yelled, rising to his feet to glower down at his father in a way that under normal circumstances would be completely uncharacteristic of him. He hadn't meant to join the thoughts like that, as if one had anything to do with the other, but there it was, the words hanging in the air between them.

" _Princess_ Sofia is indeed a child, and one far beyond your grasp. She needs to begin courting princes and kings, and you need to find a suitable wife and concern yourself with continuing our family line!" Goodwyn retorted, meeting his son's eyes and staring intently. Cedric had hit his limit, and without another word, he turned and stormed out of the cottage that would someday belong to him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note:** I loved this chapter while writing and revising it, but now I'm feeling very nervous about it. And it's a day late because of the holiday. I like to have several chapters ahead of the current one ready to go, and I'm catching up with this story, mostly because I had a huge burst of inspiration for my main story, so I've been writing that almost exclusively. Plus, I like to have the ending written out ahead of time, and work on the middle as I go, but since this was originally supposed to be a one-shot lemon, I don't have the ending, yet. So I'm working outside of my comfort zone on so many levels. Oh, well, we'll see how this goes.

* * *

Cedric returned home well after dinner time, much later than he had anticipated. He tried the knob to his tower and was surprised to find the door still unlocked. If he found the tower empty, he would have to remind Sofia about locking up behind her. His head roared in pain, punishing him for the simple act of thinking. _I hope that girl made my blasted potion_. He thought grumpily, closing the tower door quietly behind him.

"Princess, are you still here?" He called, and immediately received an answering thud in his skull, making him wish he hadn't spoken. He looked around the workshop, but there was no sign of the young woman. He thought it strange that she'd cleaned the entire place, yet left the mess from her projects, but he was in no condition to ponder on it at the moment.

"Where the devil is my medicine?" He asked out loud, in case she was still in the tower and might answer him. The tower remained silent, leaving him to find the curative himself. Finally, his eyes rested on the two bottled concoctions on his counter.

With a sigh, he walked over to examine them. He uncorked the deep red one first, taking a whiff. It had a heady, masculine aroma that wasn't at all unpleasant. He set it aside and opened the smaller bottle, a bubbly pink mixture with an earthy floral scent. Setting it back on the counter, he eyed the potions warily, his brain begging for relief from his migraine. _She wouldn't make James anything harmful._ He reasoned. _It's probably safe to drink whatever she brewed._

He should have known better, but he was currently feeling very desperate. He drank the larger red one, which had a sour, tangy flavor, then quickly downed the pink potion, enjoying it's sweet taste, and unknowingly masking the smell of the first potion. When nothing happened right away, he retreated to his study, hoping to have a cup of tea in his favorite arm chair. _Maybe I'll light the fire, that will help me relax._

The room was dark, but comfortably warm, the last embers of a previous fire dying out in his fireplace. He chuckled at how the princess and he had such similar ideas at times, and waved his wand to bring the fire back to a full blaze. With the flames lighting the room, he turned to the chair, and his breath caught in his chest at the sight of Sofia dozing peacefully, a heavy book bound in black leather resting open across her chest.

He studied the girl closely. She looked positively angelic, the dancing glow from the fire highlighting her pale skin and making her curly, slightly disheveled locks shine. He approached her quietly, debating on whether or not to let her sleep.

Dinner was already over, and he was sure her absense had been noticed, but she looked so perfect curled up on his chair, a light smile gracing her stunning features. He lifted the large book, letting his eyes drink in the way her simple lilac dress hugged her body, which was clearly lacking a corset. She often wore this dress when working in the tower, and Cedric was mad about it. Sure, she looked breathtaking in her fancier princess attire, but this frock was so simple that it allowed the viewer to enjoy her features without distraction from lace and frills. And enjoy Cedric did, far more than he should allow himself to.

His eyes fell on the princess's soft pink lips, and he briefly recalled the way they felt that time that she had kissed him, before becoming angry with himself for thinking about it. The memory creeped up from time to time, usually in quiet moments alone, but it was entirely inappropriate, and he would not allow himself to enjoy the thought.

The sorcerer set the old tome on the small black table next to his chair, still unsure what to do with the sleeping seraph before him. It occurred to him that she must have either worked or slept right through dinner, and would likely be hungry upon waking. With a heavy sigh, he pried his gaze from her and headed back to the workshop to clear off his table.

Once he finished his task, he conjured up a large salad and a small strawberry cake for the two of them to share, having missed his meal as well. He would have preferred to have some meat with dinner, but he was keenly aware that Sofia wouldn't eat it. She wouldn't scold him for enjoying meat in front of her, but that was born from politeness, not because she didn't mind.

He headed back into his study, realizing with relief that his headache was begininng to let up. What concerned him midly was the warming sensation that slowly swam through his veins, replacing the pain.

As his eyes fell back to the sleeping princess, his blood set ablaze in a way that made him feel powerful and emboldened. His father's words repeated in his mind, an evil grin spreading across his features. He would show Goodwyn that Sofia was not a child, and give him that heir he was so desperate for, at the same time.

It wasn't something Cedric had never considered before. Plenty of times he had daydreamed about Sofia humming as she flitted about his workshop, her taut, firm stomach stretched to capacity, ripe with his child, her engorged breasts trying to break free of the bodice that struggled to contain them.

Sofia would stop in surprise and alert him of some movement, and he would drop what he was working on and make his way to her, placing his palms on either side of her hard belly, eager to feel the life squirming inside. When his hand received an answering kick, he would express his undying love for both mother and child, gazing deep into those beautiful blue eyes. Then he would gather her up in his embrace and kiss her passionately, enthralled that she belonged to him, of all people.

It had always been just a passing fancy, one of many he used to occupy his downtime, but suddenly he was filled with the debauched desire to make the idea reality.

Rushing back to his workshop, he quickly grabbed a handful of herbs from his stores and used them to brew a cup of tea. Using magic to make it heat, it took only seconds to finish, and he set it down near the princess's seat before returning to his study.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: I've never written a lemon or even close to one before. Hopefully this and the next chapter are a decent first try. I only have one more chapter fully written, so I really need to get cracking after this. :P

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Cedric cupped Sofia's face with his hands, and brought his mouth down on top of hers, this time allowing himself to revel in the feel of her warm, soft lips and the spark of electricity he felt at the contact.

A soft moan escaped the princess, and her eyelids began to flutter open. Cedric pulled back from the kiss slowly, caressing her cheeks with his thumbs, his hands still placed firmly on the sides of her face.

"Mr Ceedric, did you just kiss me?" Sofia inquired, her voice thick with sleep. He nodded at the girl. A smile bloomed on her face, making his heart pound hard against his chest. He let go of her, giving her opportunity to reject his advances if she desired.

"Am I dreaming?" The princess asked, lifting her hands to rub her sleepy eyes, a move Cedric found both innocent and alluring.

"No, little one, you're awake." He didn't know what had possessed him to call her that, as he hadn't done so in at least five years. _Since she kissed me on her birthday._ Cedric realized with a start. She was positively beaming at his slip of the tongue.

"I missed that." She confessed. He pressed his forehead against hers and let out a quiet chuckle.

"Apparently, so did I." He told her.

"Will you kiss me again... Please?" Sofia asked him, her expression tender and vulnerable. _I would kiss you until there was no breath left in me._ He thought. Instead of telling her, he pressed his lips against hers again, this time the two of them moved together. It was a kiss filled with desire, love, and relief at finally fulfilling their deepest wishes. Sofia thought it must be the most magical kiss anyone ever had.

Finally, they really did need to breathe, so Cedric pulled back again and the two of them sat, panting lightly, studying each other as if they were each seeing the other with fresh eyes. Sofia broke the silence first.

"You won't be cross with me this time?" She implored him. Cedric shook his head softly, suppressing the urge to laugh in case she might think his humor was at her expense.

"Of course not, Sofia. How could I?" He reassured her. She grabbed the collar of his robe, imploring the sorcerer to continue. He moved one hand to the back of her head, tangling his fingers in those curls he loved so much, as he leaned in to taste her mouth once again. She moved to right herself in the chair, careful to maintain contact as she went.

When they pulled apart this time, Cedric sat back on the floor, beholding the princess in the warm glow of the fire. The part of his mind that had been holding him back from acting on his feelings was strangely absent, and he found it exhilarating and freeing.

"I need you, little one. I need you like I've never needed anyone in my entire life." Cedric admitted to his princess. Sofia slid from her perch to sit on his lap, her legs placed on either side of his. She took a moment to relish in the feel of one of the many physical privileges she'd long been denied by him.

Before she knew he was leaning in, Cedric's lips were upon hers again. His arms circled her waist, drawing her closer to him. His kisses were growing increasingly demanding, his need for her growing as the interlude went on. She felt an unfamiliar fire ignite in her belly, and instinctively began to rock her hips against him, trying to relieve a pressure she was much too inexperienced to understand. She moaned softly into his kiss.

Cedric's eyes went wide with shock. His sweet, innocent Sofia was grinding herself against his lap. His cock twitched in his pants as her body rubbed against his. As it stiffened, the motion felt even better for Sofia, and her efforts increased. Cedric reached a hand up to Sofia's breast, surprised to find he could feel her hardened nipples through the fabric. He rubbed at one with his thumb, eliciting another moan from her. He grabbed her hip firmly with his free hand, helping to guide her motions against his lap.

When Sofia broke the kiss to pant for air, he threw his head back and groaned. Slowly leaning backwards until he was resting on the floor, both hands on her hips now, showing her how to move on top of him, he watched the princess in awe as she approached her first orgasm.

"Bite your hand." He hissed at her. She shot him a confused look and he groaned again at the sensation of her body against his.

"Just... Trust me." He grunted. She nodded and did as she was told, gently biting the skin between her thumb and her wrist He rocked her hips faster now, moving his as well as he could to match. The bulge in his trousers was at full attention, rubbing against a part of the princess that no one but him had ever been near before. He lifted her dress slightly and found her nub through her white panties, rubbing circles with his thumb.

A few more seconds and Sofia threw her head back and cried loudly, her sounds thankfully muffled by the hand in her mouth. As soon as he was sure she was coming down from her climax, he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her off of his lap. Her lips formed a pout that he found irresistible.

"Did I do something wrong?" She asked timidly, her voice quivering. He reached up to stroke her cheek.

"No, little one. But much more of that and the fun would have been over before it really began." Cedric reassured her, his tone gentle. With a little effort he got to his feet, offering Sofia his hand so he could pull her up. Once she was standing, he bent down to whisper in her ear.

"Would you like to see my bedroom, Sofia?" Her eyes widened in surprise. Cedric had always made it clear that his room was strictly off-limits to her, and she couldn't believe he was offering to let her in now. She nodded, grinning at the sorcerer.

"Yes, please!" Was all she could think to say. His lips curled into a smile as he lifted the petite princess off her feet, ignoring her surprised yelp, and carried her to his bedroom. This was all going so much better than he'd ever dared to hope for.

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 **Ending Note:** Cedric calling Sofia little one was initially because I love the idea of him having a private thing he calls her. When I wrote this, it hadn't even registered that he's said it in the show. Then, I rewatched the series and saw him call Calista "Little One" in Gone with the Wand.

All these chapters were already written, and I wasn't sure if it meant he was more likely to say it because it's something he says in the show, or less likely because it's what he calls Calista and that might weird him out. Then I saw him say it to another kid in a different episode and I thought okay, so he doesn't only call Calista that. Big sigh of relief, story proceeds as planned. :P

Okay, shutting up now...


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:** Okay, so again... This is my first lemon. Sorry if it's not very good... I purposely left the ending so that the story would be complete even if I don't publish more chapters, because I'm not sure if I will or not. I had another chapter in the works, but it's not cooperating. Hopefully my muse returns, as I do have more in mind, I'm just having trouble getting it out. So at this point, I'm just going to say thank you for all the lovely reviews, and I hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it.

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Carrying the princess through the doorway of his bedroom, Cedric felt as though his heart might explode with joy. He gently deposited her on the bed and started to brush light, teasing kisses on her face and neck, eliciting sweet giggles from Sofia. She let him smooch on her for a minute before putting her hands up in mock defense.

"Wait, I want to see what your room looks like!" She told him cheerily, trying to wriggle free so she could admire the previously forbidden space.

"There will be plenty of time for that later. From now on, you can be in here as much as you like." He promised, catching her wrists to keep her from playfully fending him off, and returning to the task of depositing sweet pecks across her fair skin.

He was moving in to get her on the cheek when she turned her head so their lips would meet, just like she had all those years ago. She grabbed the back of his head, threading her fingers through his dark, soft hair. This time, he didn't pull away from her. She delighted in the knowledge that he wouldn't send her away today as he had back then.

He released her wrists, and Sofia felt his hand press firm against her back, trying to pull her even closer, and it thrilled her to know that the only man she'd ever loved finally wanted her. She was very much enjoying the kisses, but she wanted more. Only she didn't know what more was, exactly, or how to ask for it. Life in the palace had kept her too sequestered for that sort of knowledge.

She'd never looked at the romance novels Amber and the other princesses were always secretly trading, but now she wished she had, sure that she'd missed something crucial by ignoring the steamy books.

She remembered how good his hand had felt when he touched her breast in the front room, so she awkwardly reached for his free hand and pulled it to her chest. He laughed into the kiss, and began to knead her breast through the thin garment she wore. She tilted her head back at the sensation, breaking their kiss.

Cedric trailed his mouth to her neck, licking, kissing, and even occasionally nipping at the soft, fair skin. Sofia was loving every second of it, but it didn't do much to ease her need.

"Please, more..." She pleaded with the sorcerer, hoping he'd know what nameless thing she needed. He pulled himself away from her neck, sitting straight up, and looked down at Sofia in amusement.

"Do you even know what you're asking for 'more' of?" He teased, lightly pinching her hard nipple through her dress. She gave a gasp at the feeling, and her eyes fluttered closed. She shook her head shyly, confirming his suspicions. He pulled his hands away, and for a moment she feared she had given the wrong answer, and he would stop their encounter.

Cedric watched her lips form a slight pout, and felt an answering twitch in his pants. He had always been a sucker for that face. It had once been an innocent inability to refuse, but here, making out with her in his bedroom, that expression elicited a new reaction from him.

He found the hem of her lilac dress and began to lift it slowly, giving her ample time to protest, should she decide to do so. Sofia bit her lip gently, making no move to stop him, so he pulled the garment up and over her head, depositing it on the floor beside his bedframe. He let his eyes wander her body for a moment, her pale skin puckering from the slight chill in the tower as she sat there on his bed in nothing more than a white silk slip and her undergarments.

He gently pushed her down onto the bed, and traced his fingers up her arms, then down her sides. He lifted the slip, and began to lightly rub his thumb against her panties, reveling in the fact that they were now damp with need.

She was moaning softly now, her hips rocking up to push herself against his hand, and it took everything in him to go slowly instead of pouncing on her. Sofia deserved to be worshipped first, and he fully intended to do just that.

Using his other hand, he rubbed the wet part of her panties, where he knew her wanting slit was hidden. Every so often he would tease her by pushing into her folds through the fabric, loving the gasps that fell from her lips as he did. Soon she was panting hard, bucking against his hands in unskilled, erratic thrusts. He moved his eyes up her body to her beautiful face, wanting to watch her as she climaxed again.

Sofia's back arched, her head tilted. Her lips were parted, wonderful noises being elicited from them by Cedric's manipulations. He watched as her eyes rolled back slightly, and he felt a renewed wetness against his hands as her body began to tremble beneath him. She let out a loud wail, which Cedric could enjoy the sound of now that they were secure in the privacy of his chambers.

Once he was sure she was past the peak, he tugged at her slip. Unsteadily, she lifted herself and let him divest her of the thin silk, laying back down once it was gone. She smiled up at him shyly, and he gave her a reassuring grin in response.

"You're so beautiful, little one." He barely managed to utter. A pleasing pink flush crept across her skin at his words, and she looked away from him, not sure how to respond.

He moved to strip away the last scrap of fabric keeping him from making her truly his, but his hands faltered at the waistband. He may have considered himself evil, but he was no brute, especially not when it came to this girl.

"Are you sure, Sofia?" He asked her delicately. The princess studied her sorcerer's face. She had thought to say yes right away, but the look of deep concern she found in his handsome features gave her pause.

"I'm sure I want to be with you, and everything we've done so far has been so wonderful. But... I'm afraid I don't know much about what comes next." Sofia admitted sheepishly. Sure she'd been through a health class in school, and her mother had given her some simple answers the day she'd become a woman, but everything was handled so delicately that in this moment she realized they hadn't prepared her at all.

Cedric gawked at her in disbelief. He couldn't believe everyone in her life had let her become a grown woman without even giving her an inkling of what that meant. Had they really intended to marry her off to some prince to spend her wedding night in pain and fear, with no preparation whatsoever? He mentally chastised himself, remembering that she had come to him with questions a couple of years ago, but the conversation made him uncomfortable so he had chased her off. Finally, he found his voice.

"What comes next is pain, little one. Just for a moment, and just this first time, but it will hurt." He was not going to let her say yes without warning. It would be unthinkable to do such a thing, and he couldn't bare the thought of exploiting her trust like that. The pause in the conversation felt like an eternity to Cedric.

"And after that?" She ventured softly. Cedric bent down and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"If I do my job right, and I intend to, immense pleasure." He promised her, pulling back to watch her expression. She beamed up at him, her blue eyes shining. What did I ever do to deserve such a perfect creature in my life? He wondered in amazement. She nodded at him slightly, but he answered with a shake of his head and she frowned.

"You have to say it, Sofia. Say yes, and we continue." He loved watching her turn bright red, trying to find the words to tell him what they both knew she wanted.

"Please..." She tried, too embarrassed to say any more. He waggled a finger in front of her, letting her know she wouldn't get off that easily. She groaned in frustration, her body writhing, and he smirked at her, loving the way she clearly needed him. He mentally willed her to hurry, not sure how long his resolve could hold out. She sucked in a deep breath.

"Yesss." Her reply was a mix of a hiss and a whine, and Cedric found himself chuckling at her antics. Wasting no time, he returned to the task of removing her panties, Sofia lifting her hips to help him along. Once they were out of the way, he returned his thumb to her nub, circling it rhythmically as his fingers teased their way along her wet slit. He slipped one inside gently, watching her face carefully to make sure she was still enjoying herself.

Reassured that she was, he began to move his digit in and out of her, slowly at first, adding a second once she seemed comfortable, but soon her hips were thrusting up to meet his motions. As her breathing grew heavy again, her cheeks flushing, he abruptly removed his fingers, grinning wickedly as she groaned in frustration.

"Not yet." He told her in a mock-stern tone, positioning himself between her legs. He couldn't help it, he badly wanted to be inside her when she came again. The thought of her walls squeezing out her orgasm around his cock was much too exciting to wait any longer.

Sofia gave a gasp as he eased the tip of his cock through her soft, downy folds. He pushed against her barrier, pausing briefly as her body stiffened. He leaned forward, ready to cover her mouth with his again.

"Focus on my mouth, little one." He whispered, his breath caressing her lips. She nodded and he kissed her deeply, slowly moving his hips forward. When she made a noise of complaint, he paused, still kissing her, until her body relaxed and she nudged her hips, subconsciously signaling him to move again. It went on in this way, Cedric fighting against his strong urge to thrust into her, to take her roughly, to make her his, the tightness of her previously untouched sex nearly driving him mad with lust.

Finally, the skin gave way, Sofia screaming into their kiss, Cedric's body stilling to allow her to adjust. When he was quite sure she wouldn't alert the entire palace with her cries, he pulled his face away from hers.

"Are you alright?" He checked. Sofia couldn't find the words. It had hurt terribly, but she believed him when he said it wouldn't last, and the pain was already beginning to ease. She nodded, not trusting her voice. Cedric brushed his lips against her forehead.

"Good girl." He reassured her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and as the discomfort faded almost completely away, she slid her hips against him, having figured out by now that the movement cued him to continue. As she expected, he began to rock his hips against her again, his thrusts becoming deeper, picking up speed as they went. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him in further than she thought possible. She was beginning to feel that immense pleasure he had promised her, and she felt drunk on it, never wanting the moment to end

He pulled all the way out until just the very tip of him was still inside her, and smirked down at her. Her mind raced. He couldn't really be stopping, could he? She wondered desperately. Without meaning to, she let out a needy whimper, causing his smile to widen.

"Ask for it." He prodded her teasingly, kissing her neck and maintaining their distance down below. When she tried to push her hips against him, he moved his hands to hold them firmly in place against the mattress. In reality, he'd been getting too close, and not wanting to be done yet, was giving his body a chance to calm down. If she successfully pushed herself back up now, he knew he'd be done for.

"I want... you." She confided nervously, though she probably should have been beyond her shyness by now. He pushed inside only slightly before pulling back again, letting her know she was on the right track.

"You want me to what?" He teased, the corners of his lips twitching in amusement. Sofia's need was palpable, and it delighted him to no end. She searched for the words, but didn't have them.

"I want you to love me." She finally squeaked out. He chuckled, his face so close to her ear that his breath tickled it.

"I already love you. And I assure you I've loved you since long before you entered my chambers, little one." Cedric told her playfully, his voice low and heavy with lust. He wasn't letting her off the hook, and her heart raced. She cursed herself for not knowing how to make him continue that wonderful movement, wanting nothing else in the world than to have him moving inside of her again. She gave another futile wiggle with her hips.

"Please... Please keep going." She begged, and all games were over. Giving her neck a nip, Cedric plunged himself deep inside of her, thrusting in earnest now. All thoughts of pain were gone, and Sofia lost herself in the delicious feeling as he buried himself deep inside her again and again, his hardness rubbing against a spot she never knew existed, but was now her favorite part of her body.

"Now, little one. Come for me." He growled into her ear, knowing he wouldn't last much longer, and determined for her to go first. He didn't need to tell her again. Her body shook violently, her arms clutching around his shoulders and her legs wrapping tightly around his, pulling him impossibly deeper. As he pulled back for another thrust, Sofia threw back her head and called out to him.

"Cedric!" With his name on her lips, all hope of holding out longer was gone. He sunk deep inside of her, burying himself against her cervix just as he began to pump his cum inside of her, his cock throbbing against her tight, hot walls. With the tiny sliver of rational thought he had left, he made a mental note of the fact that she'd said his name properly, filing it away for later.

He stroked her cheek with his thumb on one side, and showered the other with a handful of whisper soft kisses.

"I love you, Sofia." He panted, leaning in to catch her lips again, this time tenderly, trying to convey his deep affection for her through the action. When he pulled away, she was staring deep into his eyes.

"I've loved you for so long." She confessed, running her hand across his cheek sweetly. When he couldn't hold himself up any longer, he rolled off to the side of her, not wanting to squish the petite young woman with his weight. She let out a noise at the loss of contact, so he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her in close against his chest.

He buried his face in her hair and breathed in, wanting to memorize the scent of her. They laid there silently for a few minutes, catching their breath and basking in the afterglow.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note:** The muse for this story finally returned. I'm so glad, since there were multiple requests for more chapters and I hated to ignore them. The first time I wrote this chapter way back when, it was very angsty and that just didn't feel right at this point in the story. This chapter feels so much better, and I'm happy to finally post it. I actually finished this on Thursday, and it was torture waiting for today to post it!

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"Did you mean it when you said you loved me?" Sofia asked quietly, her voice breaking the silence just in time to keep Cedric from drifting off.

"Of course I meant it." He answered huskily, planting a soft kiss on her bare shoulder. Sofia grinned, feeling as if she might explode with joy. She rolled to face her sorcerer, gazing deep into his rich amber eyes.

"Me, too. I love you!" She confessed, planting a quick kiss on his lips. Cedric briefly entertained the thought that he'd already fallen asleep, and this was a dream. Nothing this wonderful could be happening to him.

"Say it again." He demanded gruffly, lips twitching as Sofia let out a melodic giggle in response. She readjusted herself so her chest was pressed against his, relishing the feel of their skin touching once more. She beamed happily at him, her eyes shining with adoration for the sorcerer.

"I love you." She whispered, unable to contain the giant grin that came from finally being able to tell him. Cedric shook his head in disbelief before lifting his head enough to meet her lips in a sweet but brief kiss.

"I'm in a good mood, so I'm going to believe you this time." He answered with a chuckle. Sofia quirked an eyebrow at him.

"What about next time?" She inquired, pushing herself up to steal another quick kiss.

"My life couldn't possibly be this good." Came his non answer. He lifted her hand and wove his long fingers between hers. His free hand came up from behind his head to stroke her cheek thoughtfully. They stared at each other for a while, neither wanting this moment to end, until Sofia's stomach let out a loud growl, surprising them both.

"There's food on the table in the workshop. I conjured it before we got... distracted. It should still be good." He told her, wanting to protest the loss of her warmth as she pried herself off of him.

"Are you coming with me?" She asked, not wanting to be parted from him just yet.

"I'll be along in a minute." He told her absentmindedly. Sofia gathered her things and dressed quickly before hurrying out of the room. Cedric put his hands behind his head again, allowing himself to get lost in thought.

He'd kept his growing feelings for the princess bottled up for two years, fully intent on never expressing them. He had resigned himself to watching her be sold off to the highest bidder, knowing well that it would kill him to see that. She'd be carted off to some far away kingdom, and he would rot, heartbroken, in his tower. It wasn't a pleasant fate, but it was the one he deserved, and certainly the only one he could ever hope for.

Suddenly, everything was different. There was opportunity, hope for a real future with the only person he'd ever loved romantically. He had no solid ideas of how he could make his dreams a reality, she was still a princess, after all, and bound by the traditions of her station, but he didn't let that unfortunate fact get in the way of his daydreams about spending the rest of his life with her.

Whatever had possessed him to act, and he did wonder just what that might be, he was thrilled that he had, and completely astonished that she'd reciprocated so enthusiastically. He finally roused himself, deciding he had plenty of time to reflect on what happened after Sofia left him alone in the tower for the night.

Besides, with Sofia clearly interested in continuing things with him and his father's words no longer bothering him as much, he should really keep her from drinking that... Cedric's eyes went wide and his face paled as he shot out of the bed. How could he have forgotten about it?

"The tea!" He called out loudly, rushing through the door and quickly closing the distance to his workshop.

Cedric arrived just in time to see Sofia downing the last of the brew. The princess beamed up at him as he entered the room, still positively glowing from the exertion of their earlier activities. Her face fell as she caught sight of her friend, mouth agape and skin even paler than usual.

"Are you alright?" She asked, worrying her eyebrows and frowning at him in concern.

"You drank the tea?" It was all he could say at the moment. He watched her glance at the cup quickly.

"I'm sorry, it was at my seat, so I assumed it was meant for me. I was ever so thirsty." She explained, assuming he'd made the tea for himself and placed it on her side of the table by mistake. When he didn't answer, she continued.

"I could make you another cup, if you'd like. Just let me know what was in it, and..."

"No!" He cut her off brusquely, fully aware that her knowledge of herbs would give away the tea's true purpose. He cleared his throat and tried to calm his voice.

"No, that's quite alright. It was meant for you, but I just remembered that one of the herbs hadn't been restocked in a while. I was afraid it might have turned is all." He studied her face as he lied, relieved to see that his excuse seemed to satisfy her. There was no way he could confess his sin to her, so he would have to simply pretend nothing was out of the ordinary.

"To tell the truth, it was a bit bitter. But not at all unpleasant." She reassured him. She still felt something was off with the sorcerer, but chalked it up to the recent shift in their relationship.

"I was just about to have some of this lovely salad. Please don't make me eat it alone?" She asked him as sweetly as she could, knowing well that he had trouble denying her even the smallest request.

Cedric nodded and crossed the room, taking his seat opposite the princess. His guilty heart was beating so loudly that he imagined she must be able to hear it from across the small table. She smiled warmly and dished out some salad for both of them.

"About earlier..." Sofia began, wanting so badly to talk about what happened with Cedric, but his eyes went wide.

"Stop talking." He told her abruptly. Sofia was shocked at the way he shut her down, and it was apparent on her face. Not wanting her to get the wrong idea, he stood and moved to her side, lowering his face to her ear.

"The painting is enchanted. Don't say anything about earlier you wouldn't be willing to say in front of my parents." He whispered. Sofia's jaw dropped, and she shot a glance at the painting of Winifred and Goodwyn, her mind desperately trying to remember if she'd ever said or done anything embarrassing in front of it.

"You never told me that!" She protested, keeping her voice down as much as she could. Cedric shrugged and returned to his seat, jabbing his fork at the salad.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She continued, unwilling to let the subject drop. They were supposed to be best friends. He knew everything about her, even things about her amulet that no one else did, and she had thought she knew everything about him and his workshop.

"It never came up." He replied, much too casually for Sofia's liking.

"What else hasn't come up?" She asked. He shot her a warning look, but she met it with all the determination she could muster. Finally, he leaned back in his seat and gave a sigh.

"Welcome to adulthood, Princess. Everybody has secrets. You've learned two of mine today, and that's quite enough for now." He answered, flashing a grin at his princess to show her he meant no harm by it. He'd always guarded his secrets well, and though he truly loved her, he simply wasn't ready to drop those walls completely. In time, perhaps, but not all at once simply because she had asked.

He returned to pushing the leaves around his plate, lacking anything resembling an appetite, at least for food. Sofia scoffed at him, but when it became clear she would get no further response, she gave in to her overwhelming hunger and began to eat the meal he'd conjured.

They ate in an awkward silence, Sofia dying to talk to him, but unable to find words that wouldn't humiliate her in front of his parents' picture, and Cedric trying to puzzle out just what had come over him. His blood still ran hot, and he had to keep his eyes adverted from Sofia, because whenever he looked at her he was overcome with the desire to shove everything off the table and have her again right there in the workshop, painting be damned.

Sofia was just finishing her last bite of food when Cedric stood and grabbed her hand, urging her back to his chambers. Sofia bit her lip and allowed him to pull her along, giddy with excitement for what she knew would come next.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:** Okay, this chapter skips around a few times, and I would feel bad for being lazy, but with Sofia doing a bunch of different things, it would be really dull to fill in all the blanks. Also, if I've ever been super tired but had stuff to do, you'll know that time seems to alternate between crawling to the point of barely moving and disappearing in the blink of an eye. And if you don't know that feeling, take it from someone who hardly sleeps. So yeah... Promise the next chapter will be less skippy.

* * *

"That was ah-mazing!" Sofia breathed, settling into the bed besides Cedric. Her whole body ached, but strangely she found the sensation rather pleasant. Cedric smirked at the princess as he wrapped his arm around her waist and planted a chaste kiss on her forehead.

"You know, if you're not too worn out..." He began to proposition her, but the sounds of birds chirping outside drew his attention. They both turned to glance out the window, and were shocked to find the inky night sky streaked with the first colours of dawn.

"Does your maid still come for you in the mornings?" Cedric asked hesitantly, hoping Sofia would say 'no' so he could keep her here in his bed. He knew the answer when he heard her sigh.

"I'm afraid so, and I have a long day today, too." She answered, suddenly realizing how tired she was from the night's activities. Cedric craned his neck so he could plant a kiss on her lips.

"If you have any free time, you're welcome to sneak in here for a nap." He offered, eliciting a small chuckle from Sofia.

"I somehow doubt you would let me sleep." She replied, shaking her head at the sorcerer. He squeezed her tighter, his mouth fixing into that half-smile Sofia loved so much.

"You're right, I wouldn't." He admitted, already imagining all the things they could do during said 'nap', and starting to feel ready for yet another round.

"How long until she comes?" Cedric asked Sofia slyly.

"You can't be serious!" She scolded him playfully, lightly smacking his bare chest. He nodded that he was before pouncing on her again, rolling so the princess was beneath him on the bed.

 **...**

Sofia just made it through the little hole in her bedroom wall and returned to regular size when Violet's knock sounded on the door.

"Come in." Sofia called out, sweeping her disheveled waist-length locks up into a messy bun, and checking herself over in the mirror. Violent entered the room and frowned at her charge.

"You're not wearing that, are you?" She inquired, staring pointedly at Sofia's apprentice dress.

"It's... comfortable." Sofia fumbled for an excuse, trying not to let on that she was still dressed from yesterday. Violet was already digging through her closet for something more fashionable.

"Honestly, Princess Sofia. I wonder where your mind is sometimes." Violet admonished as she set out a lilac gown for Sofia and waited impatiently for her to remove the offending garment.

Sofia stood frozen for a moment, considering what a mess she was and afraid Violet would catch on if she helped her dress. Not only that, but there were a few places where Cedric had marked her as his, something she highly enjoyed at the time, but was just now beginning to think better of.

"I... I haven't had a bath, yet. Could you draw one for me, please?" She settled on the statement, figuring there was at least truth to the words.

"You're going to be late to breakfast." Violet studied her closely but finally sighed and went into the bathroom to do as asked.

Sofia watched her maid's retreating figure, willing her heart to stop pounding so she could relax.

 **...**

"Hey, Sof..." James began, chasing after his sister as she walked away from the dining hall. She stopped to allow him time to catch up.

"What is it, James?" She replied, grinning up at her brother as he reached her side.

"You don't... have that potion I asked you to make, do you?" He questioned, his cheeks glowing slightly as he spoke. Sofia's eyes went wide. How could I have forgotten to grab it? She wondered, though she already knew the answer.

When she and Cedric had finished, she had almost no time to make the trip back to her room, and hurried out after promising to return as soon as she could.

"I'm sorry. I made it, but I left it in the tower. I'll get it to you as soon as I have a chance, promise." She informed him, mentally going over her schedule to figure out when she could stop by the tower again to retrieve it.

"Thanks, you're the greatest!" James replied, drawing Sofia into a quick hug before running off down the hall. Sofia watched him leave, wondering once again how it was that her usually extraverted brother was having trouble confessing to whoever it was that he liked.

 _It just doesn't make sense, he's never been shy before._ She thought to herself. A familiar voice from behind roused her from her thoughts.

"Princess Sofia, shouldn't you be on the way to the village?" Baileywick drawled. She spun to face him, mouth agape. Of course, she was supposed to be at Dazzleball practice soon. She nodded and hurried out of the palace to catch the waiting coach.

 **...**

"Sofia..." Jade's tone suggested that she'd already called her multiple times, but Sofia hadn't heard her until now. She straighted herself up and did her best to focus on her friend.

"What do you need, coach?" She asked sheepishly, sorry that she hadn't been paying attention in the first place.

"You know, for an assistant coach, you've been awfully light on the assisting today." Jade pointed out, though her voice was still friendly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't get any sleep last night. I'm having trouble staying focused." Sofia explained, hoping Jade would forgive her slacking off. Jade patted her on the back.

"I understand. Do you want to go home early? I can handle these guys." Jade asked her quietly. Sofia shook her head.

"No, I promised to help you, and that's what I'm going to do." She stated firmly before concentrating on the field full of practicing children.

 **...**

Sofia leaned tiredly against the doorframe of Cedric's tower, waiting for him to answer her signature knocking. So far today, she had been assistant coach for dazzleball, gone to a gownfitting with Amber, and helped Mrs. Hanshaw teach the newest batch of Buttercups how to sew.

Now, she was skipping her only downtime to retrieve the potion she'd made for James. Of course, it meant seeing Cedric, so she didn't really mind. Frowning slightly at the quiet tower, she knocked louder.

"Just come in, Sofia." The sorcerer's voice rang out. Sofia opened the door and entered the tower, stopping to grin at the sight of Cedric with his nose buried in a spell book, as usual. _He's so handsome, especially when he's concentrating._ She mused to herself.

"Whaaatcha doing?" She sang out, making her way to stand next to his desk.

"Hmm? Oh, your father wants me to help the villagers with their harvest. Seems they're going to be short from the drought." He mumbled absently. When Sofia stayed quiet for a minute, he peered up at her curiously, taking note of how drawn she looked.

"Have you slept, yet?" He asked, his brow furrowing with concern. When she still didn't answer, he stood and waved his hand in front of her face, finally snapping her out of her trance.

"Come on, little one. Let's go to bed." He told her, pulling her towards his room.

"But I need to-" She began, but his lips pressed lightly against hers, and she lost interest in protesting.

They reached his room soon after, and Cedric lifted the sheets on his bed so she could slide in, then followed, curling up against the princess.

Sofia was both disappointed and relieved to find that Cedric actually intended for her to sleep. She wiggled back against him to get more comfortable in the small bed, and Cedric let out a light chuckle.

"Be still, or I'll be tempted to keep you up again." He threatened playfully. Nevertheless, he used the arm he had draped over her waist to pull her even closer, taking the opportunity to breath in the flowery scent of her shampoo.

"Don't let me sleep too long, alright?" Sofia instructed, her eyes already fluttering shut. Cedric let out an 'mhmm', and soon she was fast asleep.


End file.
